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Anyone have Zoom-Town?

I'm currently trying to rid my home of anything Time Warner. I've got Direct TV on the way and I was wondering what to do about internet. About the only other option I know if is Zoom-Town. But I dont know anyone that has/had it go get a review from. So anyone here use it? How fast is it? I currently have road runner of course, and I wonder how ZT compares speed wise since its like half the price, has to be slower right? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Re: Anyone have Zoom-Town?

(Warning: This is the rant of a Cable Man)

Nothing currently has the capability to compare with the speed and price of Time Warner, nor will they in the forseeable future. Especially when you considered the speed was bumped up to about 6 or 7 Mbps in the Cincinnati area. Turbo Charged is even faster. The only way telephone companies can compete is to run fiber optic cable directly to the house, which is insanely expensive. DirecTV has tried internet, which is again insanely expensive and just like their TV, goes out in a hard rain.

I've heard some horror stories about Time Warner, but let me say as an employee, things don't get better with any other provider. I deal with people every day who have had absolute horror stories to tell me when dealing with customer service and get mad because the tech couldn't fix the problem on the first time. A cable system is never an easy fix. Too many variables are involved. I've heard horror stories with billing also. Let me urge you not to take that out on the tech who comes to your house. We have no control on what happens before we get there.

That said, I'm not going to plug the company I work for simply because I know of the problems some of you face. Flat out, some of the problems are very preventable. As for problems in the house, most are caused by customers trying to do their own work, or by electricians hired to do the work. Friends are great, but not good cable men. Keep that in mind. Gold fittings and splitters are bad. If you have had sombody do the work for you, I would bet there is something gold somewhere. They cause huge problems. Those issues are not the fault of the company.

The cable modems and digital boxes are tempermental. If signal is just a little off, especially with modems, you will have problems. If there is a staple that nicks the cable somewhere in the wall, you will have problems. Don't count on the problem being one that is easy to fix, or something we should be able to take care of on the spot. Although most problems are easy for us to find, some aren't.

The next biggest thing that customers complain about is when they schedule an appointment, and the tech doesn't show, or are late. The thing you have to remember is this. We call before going to the house in a lot of cases. If you don't answer the phone for what ever reason on one of the two calls we make, the call is cancelled when verified by a call ahead person. We do block our numbers when we call because they are personal numbers in most cases. We don't need to be called by a customer for a cable problem. That is what customer service is for. As far as missed time frames, an alloted amount of calls are allowed to be scheduled each day depending on the number of techs working that particular day. Those calls are split amoung the techs in a particular area. We average about 2 calls per time frame along with other calls expected to get done during the day. Things happen. Sometimes we run into a large problem at a house where all we were supposed to do is install a cable ready set. That is certainly not expected and will obviously strain the other techs in the area because we are required to fix the problem. We try our best to get to every call, but at times this is next to impossible. Don't get upset because we don't make it to your house on time. It is beyond our control. We don't know what to expect from house to house. It is just as frustrating for us to show up late as it is you because then we spend the rest of the day catching up. We don't go home until everything is done. We already work 10 hour days, but most become 11 or 12 hour days or even more. considering I don't get off work untill 9pm on a 10 hour day, you can imagine how frustrating long days can be, especially when the customer wants to tell you how much they hate the company you work for and how they don't understand why we have such a problem making timeframes.

Finally, I know I'm not going to change your mind, and I wouldn't want to. Its your choice and you have your own reasons for that choice. But problems with TV service aren't only limited to Time Warner. DirecTV has problems too, not to mention service calls aren't free. My mom found that out the hard way. I just don't want to be part of the problem. I beg you to not take it out on techs when you have problems.

I would however be very interested to hear what your problems have been. I like to have feedback to defend me when I tell some of the higher ups why it is difficult to do my job at times.

I will say Time Warner is really expanding its customer service department and Technician force in an effort to create a better customer experience. Unfortunately, quanity doesn't equal quality in most cases, but what do I know, I just deal face to face with the customer.

Re: Anyone have Zoom-Town?

I have Zoomtown and it's okay, though its connection is not very dependable when there is rain/storms here or even nearby. I've never had any other high-speed internet to compare it to. It's certainly better than dial up, but after my first year is up this fall, the price goes up to $40/month. I don't know if it will be worth that much to me.

Re: Anyone have Zoom-Town?

SeeinRed,

My main problems with time warner is the price and they dont offer certain channels I want. Our bill is over 200 bucks (with RR) and that just seems way to high. They also don't offer channels I want. FSN HD, ESPN2 HD, NFL network, and a few more. Plus I really wanna get the DirectTV NFL Sunday Ticket. If Time Warner really wants to get better, they need to offer more channels, and more packages. I understand some of the rights they can't get, but some they can. They dont seem to be adding anything new anything soon either.

Re: Anyone have Zoom-Town?

My main issue with Time Warner is one that I don't think there is a solution for. I don't think the pricing is unreasonable (we get a bazzillon channels + RR and it is way under $100) and the service issues have always been dealt with promptly.

My main gripe is the "call before a tech arrives" system. I am already pinned to my house for 4 hours, now I'm pinned to my phone to avoid missing the call and having the service call canciled. I can't talk to anyone else on the phone for 4 hours since we don't have call waiting. Additionally I have a home office so we have two phone numbers. No matter what number I give them they invariably call the other one so if I'm in a different part of the house I might not hear the call.

I don't like to give the office number because I know I'll be on the phone non-stop when TWC calls. If I give the home number, I have to bring a home cordless unit into the office which is annoying because it will ring when I'm on the phone with a customer.

If you ask me to be trapped in the house for a 4 hour window don't then fruther tie me down with the "call ahead" plan. If someone schedules a service call, and isn't home, charge them $75 or something. Why should I have to sit on top of my phone for 4 hours avoiding all other calls because some other hammer-head is too irresponsible to remember his TWC service call, that he scheduled?

a super volcano of ridonkulous suckitude.

I simply don't have access to a "cares about RBI" place in my psyche. There is a "mildly curious about OBI%" alcove just before the acid filled lake guarded by robot snipers with lasers which leads to the "cares about RBI" antechamber though. - Nate

Re: Anyone have Zoom-Town?

I've been on Zoomtown & Fuse for several years. Overall, it hasn't been bad, but there are times when the internet seems to slow down considerably. Likewise, in the last year, it's had some delays on email. I've mostly presumed those have been when the internet was clogged with virus attacks, etc.

I've found there staff to be helpful. I've only had to replace a modem once and they dealt with that promptly. I'd give them a B+.

Re: Anyone have Zoom-Town?

Re: Anyone have Zoom-Town?

Originally Posted by Ltlabner

My main issue with Time Warner is one that I don't think there is a solution for. I don't think the pricing is unreasonable (we get a bazzillon channels + RR and it is way under $100) and the service issues have always been dealt with promptly.

My main gripe is the "call before a tech arrives" system. I am already pinned to my house for 4 hours, now I'm pinned to my phone to avoid missing the call and having the service call canciled. I can't talk to anyone else on the phone for 4 hours since we don't have call waiting. Additionally I have a home office so we have two phone numbers. No matter what number I give them they invariably call the other one so if I'm in a different part of the house I might not hear the call.

I don't like to give the office number because I know I'll be on the phone non-stop when TWC calls. If I give the home number, I have to bring a home cordless unit into the office which is annoying because it will ring when I'm on the phone with a customer.

If you ask me to be trapped in the house for a 4 hour window don't then fruther tie me down with the "call ahead" plan. If someone schedules a service call, and isn't home, charge them $75 or something. Why should I have to sit on top of my phone for 4 hours avoiding all other calls because some other hammer-head is too irresponsible to remember his TWC service call, that he scheduled?

We never forget them, and we have to call before going so we don't waste our time going out there if the customer isn't home. It cost too much in terms of time. The reason we use time frames is because we can't say we will be there at 11:30 on tuesday. That just isn't a possibility. We have other calls to get to. Most people give us cell phone numbers while they are at work, or we have a time frame that is from 6:00 till 9 in the evening for those who work during the day. You can also tell customer service to tell the tech not to call and just show up. Just a few solutions to your problem.

Re: Anyone have Zoom-Town?

Originally Posted by mole44

SeeinRed,

My main problems with time warner is the price and they dont offer certain channels I want. Our bill is over 200 bucks (with RR) and that just seems way to high. They also don't offer channels I want. FSN HD, ESPN2 HD, NFL network, and a few more. Plus I really wanna get the DirectTV NFL Sunday Ticket. If Time Warner really wants to get better, they need to offer more channels, and more packages. I understand some of the rights they can't get, but some they can. They dont seem to be adding anything new anything soon either.

ESPN 2 HD and ESPNU will be coming later this year FWIW. NFL Network is in negotiations, they want more than ESPN to show 8 games a year. That is where the problem lies. The most rediculous thing is the Big Ten Network wants even more than the NFL network. I'd say FSN HD will be coming in the future also. NFL Sunday ticket will probably be the death of DirecTV. They will never make the money back they pay for the rights to be the exclusive carrier. As far as prices, Time Warner is pretty much on par with everyone else once you get past introductory rates. Then you figure that service calls are free and it really is a decent deal. TV is just a very expensive luxury. They

Re: Anyone have Zoom-Town?

Originally Posted by redsmetz

I've been on Zoomtown & Fuse for several years. Overall, it hasn't been bad, but there are times when the internet seems to slow down considerably. Likewise, in the last year, it's had some delays on email. I've mostly presumed those have been when the internet was clogged with virus attacks, etc.

I've found there staff to be helpful. I've only had to replace a modem once and they dealt with that promptly. I'd give them a B+.

DSL has a lot of issues during high traffic times. They use an old system. Phone wire is the same as it was way back in the day. Cable isn't exactly new, but it has a far greater ability to carry more information. Some electric companies is also trying to provide internet. It isn't going well to say the least. Cable has it's problems if it isn't correctly installed in your house, but when the cable is in good shape, there is no comparison.

Re: Anyone have Zoom-Town?

Originally Posted by SeeinRed

DSL has a lot of issues during high traffic times. They use an old system. Phone wire is the same as it was way back in the day. Cable isn't exactly new, but it has a far greater ability to carry more information. Some electric companies is also trying to provide internet. It isn't going well to say the least. Cable has it's problems if it isn't correctly installed in your house, but when the cable is in good shape, there is no comparison.

I'm not sure that's correct all over that "wire is the same as it was way back in the day" - I believe most of Cincinnati Bell's wiring has been fiber optic for a number of years. Now maybe it's true coming into my home, hence the problems. I'll acknowledge up front, I don't know the technical side of this stuff, but I thought I recall that CB upgraded their system to fiber optics back in the 80's or early 90's or so. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Re: Anyone have Zoom-Town?

Originally Posted by SeeinRed

We never forget them, and we have to call before going so we don't waste our time going out there if the customer isn't home. It cost too much in terms of time. The reason we use time frames is because we can't say we will be there at 11:30 on tuesday. That just isn't a possibility. We have other calls to get to. Most people give us cell phone numbers while they are at work, or we have a time frame that is from 6:00 till 9 in the evening for those who work during the day. You can also tell customer service to tell the tech not to call and just show up. Just a few solutions to your problem.

I wasn't saying you guys forget and I understand why you have to call. It's just a cumbersom system IMO. Tell the customer you'll be there durring whatever window of time and then show up. If they stiff you bill them $75 or $100. If they are told before hand they'll be billed if they stand you guys up, my guess is folks will make an effort to be home. $100/hour would more than cover the cost of the drive over to a house and ringing the doorbell.

The cellphone thing isn't an option as it doesn't work well inside the house and then that would be one more phone ringing while I'm likely on the landline phone with a customer. It's not real professional to ask a customer to hold on so I can take a call from my cable guy.

I've asked the CS person to just have the tech show up but I've always been told they have to call. Are the CS people full of it? If so, that's good to know. Thanks. My guess is the tech will still call ahead. They've (CS) have screwed up calling the right number to my house almost every time I can remember.

The 6:00-9:00pm time frame is handy, however, everybody else and their brother wants that time so the next available slot is sometime next century. I need the internet to work, so if I'm having issues I want the tech there ASAP (within reason, I understand there's people in line ahead of me), not wait until next Wednesday night (or that weekend either).

I just previewed my post and I guess I sound like a whining jerk. But like I said in my first post, it gravels me that I have to sit on my phone for 4 hours because some other idiot can't be home when they schedule a service call.

a super volcano of ridonkulous suckitude.

I simply don't have access to a "cares about RBI" place in my psyche. There is a "mildly curious about OBI%" alcove just before the acid filled lake guarded by robot snipers with lasers which leads to the "cares about RBI" antechamber though. - Nate

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